Icelandic Logo for Responsible Fisheries announced

Those present at the meeting were the Icelandic Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Einar K. Gudfinnsson, Jóhann Sigurjónsson from the Marine Research Institute, Iceland and Kristján Thórarinsson, vice chair of the Fisheries Association of Iceland.

The minister began by saying how people's awareness of the importance of the environment and how we utilise the natural resources has greatly increased, and that fish sellers need to be able to tell their customers exactly where the fish came from and how it was caught.

"The discussions on the Icelandic Logo for Responsible Fisheries and how to respond to the demands I am referring to here, have been ongoing during the period I have held the office of the minister of fisheries - in fact these debates reach further back than that. This period has seen quite a dramatic change in attitudes. It is my opinion that today there is no doubt amongst those addressing these matters that there exists a pressing need to label our fish products with a certified eco and origin label. Furthermore, the conclusion is to aim towards an Icelandic ecolabel where we set the rules of the game. Also, to ensure that this is done in a transparent and credible manner that cannot be doubted. This is why an independent certification is needed - a certification we abide by and accept," he explained.

The objective of the logo is "to create a tool for demonstrating and documenting that seafood products come from responsible fisheries, and to assist supermarket procurement managers in responding to environmental concerns and to assure that they wish to continue to offer Icelandic seafood in their stores," explained Dr Thórarinsson.

The specifications for responsible fisheries mean that the product is derived from a specified fish stock and that stock is harvested responsibly. This means:

• Decisions on total catch (TAC) from the stock are based on scientific advice with the objective of responsible, sustainable harvesting

• Decisions on total catch are implemented in a specified manner

• Effects of the fishery on the ecosystem are minimised by application of a specified approach

• The product is in fact derived from catch from the stock in question - certification of traceability / "Chain of Custody" according to a specific standard

Benefits of the logo are:

• The specification meets the substantive requirements of the FAO Guidelines

• Stakeholders and authorities are prepared to fulfill the requirements

• Confirmation that requirements are fulfilled comes from an independent, internationally recognised, accredited, third party certification body

One thing that Dr Thórarinsson was keen to point out is that proper certification is not scientific research, fisheries advice or fisheries management.

According to Dr Thórarinsson, the logo has received a positive response in international markets and certification and an Icelandic ecolabel will provide valuable support for Icelandic fisheries management and the sale of Icelandic seafood.

The logo is phase two of a three phase project. Phase one was the issuing of the "Statement on Responsible Fisheries in Iceland" August 2007. Phase two is the logo and phase three is the certification and ecolabel. According to plans, the certification of the first stocks should be completed by the end of 2009.